Emmys 2019 Predictions: Best Actor in a Limited Series/TV Movie

Along with a recent category that I predicted, for the best actress in a comedy series, this is one category that I seriously think is overcrowded with the sheer number of possible entrants and quality talent brimming. It could also be due to the fact that this one is the only category to award a single actor from two categories that have separate awards for themselves: the best TV movie and the best miniseries/limited series, and we essentially have to predict from twice the lot, meaning twice the number of eligible actors to choose from, all new since this category won’t have recurring candidates, and twice the onus as the excitement.

This year’s race is shaping up to be an increasingly interesting one, and just the names of stars in there is bound to cause a frenzy at the red carpet of the ceremony. I am personally a fan of most of the predicted nominees, and with the inclusion of respected veterans in the race, this one is going to be almost a celestial battle in nature. Infact, this year’s lineup is nothing like last year’s: every single name in the list is both a potential surprise and a force to reckon with. None of the contestants from ‘Fargo’, ‘Genius’, ‘American Crime Story’ or ‘American Horror Story’ are going to be there would be forming part of this year’s list, but even without them, we have a sufficiently stellar list of nominees, including BAFTA and Oscar winners! I cannot simply contain my excitement as I present to you the list of predicted nominees for this year’s Emmys for best actor in a limited series/TV Movie at the Emmys 2019.. Read on to find out who are the strongest contenders for Best Actor – TV Movie/Miniseries.

8. Jonah Hill, Maniac

The one entrant who I expect to be a surprise nominee at the Emmys. ‘Maniac’ from Cary Fukunaga which I thought was a great show, easily the best one to look at from last year, given its neon retro vibe that filled my screen with more colours than I thought it was capable of, quickly fell in popularity shortly after it completed its run, even though it remained available for streaming on Netflix. Its reviews too, although mostly positive including mine, were not as unanimous: its series of winning reviews eventually upset by a substantial audience who praised the style but criticised the substance. Coming to the performances, Jonah Hill did some excellent work here, and while he won’t be in my top six predicted nominees, he could easily be the surprise of the year. It would be safe to say that his fate of nominations would depend on how well the show fares with the TV academy overall. Though it is endlessly endearing to see ‘Seth’ from ‘Superbad’ being in the running for awards by virtue of some mature, fantastic work. Talk about development as an actor!

7. Hugh Grant, A Very English Scandal

His SAG and Golden Globe nominations should surely give it a boost, but there is no question that the best things about the miniseries were Hugh Grant and Ben Whishaw, the latter too picking up quite a few awards for his work as supporting actor on the miniseries. ‘A Very English Scandal’ is a partly fictionalised and partly comic account of the Thorpe affair, wherein British Liberal Party leader was accused of murder and a closeted gay affair (back when it was illegal in Britain). Grant is great in his role as Thorpe and landing a nomination should be more of a 70-30 for him, of course the 70 being for. Winning might be tough given the sheer muscle of other contenders out here, but we will update this section regarding the winners as the year progresses. Plus, this is Hugh Grant we are talking about, a favourite from both Hollywood and the British Film Fraternity.

6. Sam Rockwell, Fosse/Verdon

Another Oscar winner gracing the list of potential nominees. While the show’s ratings itself may be dwindling, wildly varying between mediocre and excellent, the one thing that has received unanimous praise is Sam Rockwell’s and Michelle William’s performance, with their chemistry being the highlight of many a sequence from the first two episodes. The show that documents the troubled relationship between Bob Fosse and Gwen Verdon on Broadway in the backdrop of the American Entertainment Industry is a five episode miniseries on FX, currently touted to air its third episode next week. While chances for nomination for the show itself are bleak unless the makers can blow it off the roof in the last three episodes, I can expect an Emmy nod for both Williams and Rockwell, especially, who is fresh off from his nomination as best supporting actor for ‘Vice’ for playing George W. Bush, and a win the previous year from ‘Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri’.

5. Benicio Del Toro, Escape at Dannemora

It is definitely a slow burning dramatic thriller, but one that hinges on quality performances from Del Toro, Patricia Arquette (especially) and Paul Dano. The chances of ‘Escape at Dannemora’ winning big at the Emmys are formidable, along with Patricia Arquette whose turn as Tilly Mitchell is unforgettable and haunting, Benicio Del Toro will not be far behind when it comes to a nomination, and maybe even a win. His performance is remarkably restrained and chillingly intense in the silent bits, and there are quite a lot of those, I might add. Unfortunately, he missed out a nomination at the Globes, which I can squarely attribute to the melding of the TV Movie/Limited Series categories for most award functions, and the nominees still constrained to six, but the Emmys might just prove to be his ground. This is a performance that needs some more love.

4. Ian McShane, Deadwood

‘Deadwood: The Movie’ will make a return to TV after almost thirteen years since the series ended its run, and eventhough no one has seen it yet, most are predicting it to line up for some major awards. However, I predict this one to be the most probable one since, well, it’s Ian McShane. Keeping apart my endless personal admiration for the actor, Ian McShane had been nominated for consecutive Emmys during his tenure playing Al Swearengen, although he never got to win one. The converse is not true for the Globes since he won a Golden Globe for the same performance in 2005. So, pretty solid award credentials there. Thirteen years later, McShane returns almost as a legend in the TV circuit and a bonafide movie star who is also a part of multiple franchises. I predict he is going to be great and a nomination should be no problem at all, although the win is going to be harder this time around, it would seem perfectly plausible in this case. For now, we await the release of ‘Deadwood: The Movie’ to ascertain this.

3. Anthony Hopkins, King Lear

The veteran of veterans gave a performance worthy of his name in his turn as King Lear in the television adaptation of the dreary Shakespearean tragedy. The movie though, while having gained significant traction when it was picked for streaming services by Amazon Prime, may not be looking in such good shape, with its reviews increasingly tilting toward the mediocre and disapproving side, Hopkins is an entirely different story, and his performance is in a completely different league from the show, as is also the case with the rest of the cast including Emma Thompson, Florence Pugh and Emily Watson, playing his three daughters. The show’s fate, I am afraid is indubitably bound to harm Anthony Hopkin’s chances at a win, but a nomination is the least one can expect for an actor of his calibre.

2. Benedict Cumberbatch, Brexit

Cumberbatch is a beloved darling at the Emmys: his six consecutive nominations in seven years are clear testament to that, even if the nominations account for different outings, including ‘Sherlock’, and last year’s limited series ‘Patrick Melrose’. While he is busy seeing the future of the Avengers against Thanos on the movies front, on the TV front, he has managed to jar things quite a bit with his political satirical drama, ‘Brexit’. The sheer relevance of the film and excellent well placed timing ensure that it will be talked about in the months to come, which means it automatically has better odds. Cumberbatch’s performance as the political strategist Dominic Cummings has been receiving well deserved praises from all sectors, and coupled with the show’s relevance and fortunate timing, there should be absolutely no difficulty in securing a nomination for both Cumberbatch and the movie itself.

1. Mahershala Ali, True Detective

Fresh off his Oscar win for ‘Green Book’ in the supporting actor category, this year bodes nothing but well for him, as the third season of ‘True Detective’ was marked as a welcome return to form for the cerebral crime drama, much akin to the first season that got the show some much deserved limelight. The second season was seen as a bit of a derailment, but the makers seem to have found their lost mojo in the latest season, and this, I can personally vouch for. Ali’s performance has been winning unanimous praises from all fronts, and personally too, I feel that he is incapable of delivering a performance that may simply be considered average. Curiously so, it is going to be a first for Ali, both for the show and as a lead actor at the Emmys.

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